Web Site Accessability

This site is regularly reviewed for Section-508 compliance.

We are committed to ensure that this web site remains accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. The technologies administered to build our website are based on and compliant with the Section 508 standards. If you have any difficulty accessing the information provided on this web site or need further assistance, please contact the Web Site Administrator.

Background

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require government agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all government agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. ‘ 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

1. Procedures and Tools to Increase Access.
This site uses a range of tools and procedures to increase access, including:

a. Increasing access to images and graphics.
Where possible, we use ALT tags to describe the content of visual elements, particularly graphics that serve as links.

b. Reducing site complexity.
All frames have been removed, and all new content lacks frames and related devices that would add unnecessarily to the complexity of site access. Where possible, the use of plug-ins, applets, and scripts has been strictly limited. The only plug-in provides access to Adobe Acrobat PDF files.

c. Alternatives to mouse and cursor access.
The menu alternatives on pages have been sequenced to simplify keyboard and "switch" access. Problems can still occur because of browser differences. All content is previewed on the most commonly used Windows browsers. Because of it's flexability and availability of extensions that enhance the accessability of web site use for visitors with disabilities, we recommend the Firefox web browser.

d. Multimedia and file size policy.
At this time we have chosen to increase access to persons at home and at other sites with modest bandwidth modems. We limit the use of file sizes and software that unnecessarily challenge the available bandwidth, and the technological literacy and budgets of the users.

Simple high-contrast formats are to present menus and content. Multiple color presentations are avoided, particularly when color is used to emphasize or vary content meaning.

2. Sources of Help to Increase Access to Web Information.
The Marion County Economic Development Council strives to assist persons with disabilities. Please contact the Web Site Administrator for information about hardware and software that will increase access to the web.

3. Consumer and Developer Information.
Every effort is being made to make this site directly accessible to individuals with disabilities. The efforts being made at this site use information from a range of similar state and national efforts. Central to many of these efforts are federal initiatives, including those associated with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Standards for web site development to support Section 508 were initially scheduled for availability and compliance on August 7, 2000. This compliance deadline has been delayed until 6 months after the availability of approved standards.

Information on the progress and the nature of these national initiatives can be found on the following sites: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act; WebAim. Consumers and web site developers interested in more specific information on techniques to increase access should monitor the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) site. This site provides guidelines for site developers, an ongoing history of national initiatives, and links to other sites of interest to consumers and developers.